


Taking Chances

by buzuki, moomoocentralfest



Series: Girl Crush Fest Round 1 (2018) [1]
Category: Mamamoo
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 18:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzuki/pseuds/buzuki, https://archiveofourown.org/users/moomoocentralfest/pseuds/moomoocentralfest
Summary: Byulyi steps in when Yongsun needs someone to bring to her sister's wedding. It all goes well until there are feelings involved.





	Taking Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Taking Chances  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: #71  
> Pairing(s): Moon Byulyi/Kim Yongsun  
> Author's Note: hii! this literally took me months to finish so i hope you all like it c: sorry if there are some mistakes (i'm horrible at beta-ing)

**13 Days, 4 Hours**

Yongsun’s flimsy cotton dress does a terrible job at keeping out the suffocating summer heat. She wipes the sweat off her forehead and lets out a sigh as she curses the AC for choosing that particular day to break down.

“Sweetheart, I know you’re tired of this question already, but did you find a date for your sister’s wedding?”

The blonde had wanted to press the red button on the phone and end the call as soon as she hears those words being muttered by her mother on the other side of the line. She’s not even sure why are they pestering her so much, they got one daughter who’s ready to marry, right? What’s with the rush to make the other one find someone? 

“Yongsun, you’re almost thirty. And, we won’t be around forever.” Her mother carries on with a scolding tone through the tiny speakers of the phone, “We just want to make sure that you’re in good hands.”

“I know that.” Yongsun presses and continues with a lower voice, avoiding the possibility of anyone hearing her, "But you can’t expect me to magically find someone just because you want to.”

She’s been walking around in circles, between the protective walls of her office. Yongsun’s sister decided to get married nine months ago and her parents has been bothering Yongsun with the request of getting a date ever since that moment. It’s almost like they care more about Yongsun finding a date than the wedding of their other daughter. She’s gotten a little bit tired of it. Now that the wedding is a mere two weeks away, they’ve been getting more and more crazy. 

“Yongsun, all your friends are married, aren’t they? I know you can’t legally get married but consider settling down, huh? And, God, there’ll be so many guests… They’ll all ask why you don’t have a date. What am I going to tell t-”

Now, Yongsun isn’t someone who makes very rational decisions in general. If it’s 3 AM and she’s craving for a piece of chocolate that’s been on her mind since the first signs of hunger, she eats it. If she’s running late to work but there’s just the cutest dog wiggling its tail on the pavement then she pets it. She’s always made her decisions with her heart, not with her mind. But the next thing she blurts out is even stupid, irrational, irresponsible for her. In her defense, she’s tired of all the persistent nagging she’s been getting from her parents, it’s a goddamn Monday and she hasn’t even had her morning coffee yet.

“Mom, I have a girlfriend.”

“You do?!” Her mother’s voice is so loud that she has to move the phone a little further from her ear. “Since when, what’s her name, why can’t you bring her to the wedding?”

“Uh..” Yongsun gapes for a moment, shocked by her own lie, “We’re kind of new. So, I don’t know if she wants to…”

“Nonsense!” Her mother roars in delight, “You don’t have time for flings, honey. If she’s not serious with you then you shouldn’t waste your time.”

As most of the breaking points in life goes, Yongsun sees that there are two choices that lies on her future: She can say that this girlfriend is not seeking for a stable relationship and get out of the situation quickly or she can deny her mother’s accusations and protect the honor of her hypothetical girlfriend. 

She somehow chooses the wrong one.

“Uh, no! She’s great. I just… I’ll ask her, alright?” Yongsun deepens her lie, “Now I’ve got to hang up mom, bye, love you!”

She hangs up the phone and groans.

_ Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck _

What did she get herself into?

 

**12 Days, 1 Hour**

Obviously, her first instinct to call her two best friends and demand for an urgent meetup.

As she enters in their usual hangout spot, a café that’s close by to all of their apartments, she’s dead tired from work and other surprising events of the day. The first thing she sees is Wheein and Hyejin’s questioning faces. 

Yongsun doesn’t dance around the subject, instead chooses a much more direct approach. She doesn’t have the energy to be subtle at that point. 

“I need a girlfriend asap.” 

There’s a pause between her sentence and the reactions of the younger girls. It’s almost as if like they had been expecting her to randomly invite them to a café and declare that she’s in urgent need of a girlfriend. 

“That’s… nice to hear you’re ready for love?” Hyejin voices her thoughts, Yongsun can see her giving Wheein a confused look. 

“No!” Yongsun denies perplexedly, she takes her face in her hand and huffs. “I did something dumb.”

“Not quite surprising, unnie.” Wheein answers truthfully, “But, do tell.”

Yongsun lets Wheein’s disrespectful comment pass for once, since she’s in the need of their help. “Remember that my mom was pestering me to find a date for my sister’s wedding?”

“Oh no.” Hyejin comments.

“I accidentally said that I had a girlfriend.”

“How do you accidentally… Anyway-” Wheein sighs, “Where will you find a girlfriend in like… a week, was it?”

“Yup.”

“You don’t have someone you have your eye on, do you?”

“Nope.”

The younger girls let out a collective sigh. Kim Yongsun is really something else. 

“Then, what do you plan on doing?” Wheein inquires, not knowing if she should be amused or worried, “Can’t you just call your mother and say that you were joking?”

Yongsun gives it a thought but shakes her head in denial after a few moments. “No, this won’t change anything, it would actually worsen the situation. I don’t want to be that pathetic in my own mother’s eyes.”

“So?” Wheein shoots back. She has a slight grimace on her face. “You know your family won’t buy it if it’s one of us who you’re going with, right?”

“So… I was wondering if you have a friend to introduce to me.” Yongsun tries to give them her best puppy dog eyes, mouth intentionally curling up in a dimpled smile.

The pair looks at each other and then at Yongsun again, both supporting the same look on their faces. 

“Aw, it’s not fair when you look like that, unnie!” Hyejin exclaims, “How can we say no?”

Yongsun gives a triumphant smile, the worry in her heart a bit calmed down now that she has the support of her friends. 

“But you wouldn’t invite someone you know for a week to your sister’s wedding. Hell, you probably wouldn’t even be dating them.” Wheein states. “So, it has to be fake.”

“Fake?” Yongsun repeats, “What do you mean?”

“A pretend girlfriend.” Wheein explains with a proud smile like it’s a genius idea, “Luckily for you, I know just the person for the job.”

Yongsun pauses to think about the suggestion. To be honest, it makes sense to… hire someone. Although it feels a bit dirty to lie to her whole family just like that but that’s the only way to get her out of the hole she had dug for herself.

“And, who might that be?”

“Ah, one of my coworkers. She’s a year younger than you, totally charming but a bit too flirty sometimes.” Wheein explains, “The main point is, I’m pretty sure she would be more than willing to spend a few days with a cute girl like you.”

Yongsun hears Hyejin gasp and turns to the source of the voice. The black-haired girl has her eyes wide, a ghost of a smile evident on her face. 

“Moon Byulyi?” Hyejin asks, even though Yongsun doesn’t know what she’s talking about but with the tone of the younger’s voice, the name sounds like an ancient magician’s.

“Yes,” Wheein giggles mysteriously, “Moon Byulyi.”

 

**11 Days, 5 Hours**

Moon Byulyi has orange hair. 

The thought strangely echoes in her head as Wheein and Hyejin introduce them to each other. She has a huge smile on her face which Yongsun chooses to not take as teasing, because first of all, why would she be teasing her? But then again, it’s obvious that she’s in great need of help since she had invited some stranger here in her apartment. So she can be the subject of some laughs.

“Hello, it’s so nice to meet you.” Byulyi says politely, “I hear you need my help.”

She’s wearing skinny jeans under a baggy shirt, which almost makes Yongsun ask if she’s feeling hot because of the summer heat. She refrains herself as she nods.

“Yeah,” Yongsun confirms, “If it won’t be a… bother.”

Yongsun has no idea on how to act in this situation. This isn’t a proposal for a regular date, she’s going to be lying to her family, for goodness’ sake. She glances over to her two best friends who are watching the pair with curious eyes like they’ve come across their favorite daytime soap opera. She tries to warn them with her eyes to say something, or just take control of the situation in their hands. Hyejin catches her eyes and gives Yongsun a smile so sweet that she knows what’s going to happen before anyone opens their mouth.

“So, I think we’ll be leaving now.” Wheein announces, grabbing Hyejin by the arm, “Bye, unnies, take care!”

“Jung Whee-”

It all happens so fast, before Yongsun can protest. The click of the door closing between them makes her nervous, she subconsciously lowers her gaze to the ground. The presence of a stranger brings out her introverted side.

“Aw, don’t be shy.”

Yongsun abruptly turns to look at Byulyi with questioning eyes. “Excuse me?”

“You know,” Byulyi gestures to the ground, “Don’t do that. I need to see those beautiful eyes of yours.”

Yongsun feels her jaw drop, shocked by the remark she had heard. She doesn’t know the person she’s talking with well and isn’t very sure on how to react. 

Byulyi lets out a giggle. “Sorry. We have to be like that if we’re going to do this thing, right?”

“Oh.” Yongsun continues to stare at the younger girl dumbly. “Right.”

“Did I scare you?” Byulyi’s eyebrows are crossed, “I just figured that…”

“No!” Yongsun assures her, “It’s okay. It’s just… I don’t know how to do this. I’m sorry, I’m a mess.”

Byulyi leans her head a little bit to the side, eyes sparkling with interest. She makes herself comfortable in the armchair she’s sitting. “You okay?”

“It’s just,” Yongsun pauses to organize her thoughts, “My family wants me to find someone but I’m too busy with work and stuff. And, I’ve never really lied to them so… I’m scared.”

“To lie to them or if our arrangement doesn’t work out?”

“Both.” Yongsun confesses wholeheartedly.

Byulyi makes a humming sound like she’s in deep thought. She’s silent for a while, which gives Yongsun time to observe her as a whole. She has a raw charm, attractive without even trying. When she looks into Yongsun’s eyes directly, there is determination in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Yongsun-sshi.” She states, “Nothing will go wrong. I’ll make sure of that.”

 

**7 Days, 23 Hours**

Turns out Byulyi is too nice for her own good. She pulls chairs for Yongsun to sit, holds the doors open, insists on buying her lunch and so on. It’s strange to be pampered like this after such a long time, Yongsun is almost falling for the charm of it. But, no, she’s reasonable. The main reason Yongsun had been alone all this time is because she was so caught up in work. And in this period of her life, she’s not sure she’s ready to reorganize the aspects of her life.

“You like strawberry milkshake, right?” Byulyi comes back to their table with two large glasses, filled to the brim with cream. 

“Sure.” She assures her company as she takes the cold drink, the other girl is already taking a sip from the straw. 

They’ve been like this for a few days, just aimlessly wandering around in coffee shops and museums in order to find out more about each other. Their talks were never interrupted with awkward silences or distasteful conversations, much to Yongsun’s surprise. In fact, she had found herself taking quite a liking to this Moon Byulyi.

“What are you thinking?” A curious eyed Byulyi asks, “Don’t you like the milkshake?”

“No, no.” Yongsun denies, “I was thinking stuff… other stuff.” 

They settle in their seats, facing each other. A pause in their dynamic gives Yongsun an opportunity to study the little details on the younger’s face. She’s beautiful, that’s evident. But she also has this strange appeal surrounding her. It’s hard for Yongsun to put her finger on it but she keeps her eyes focused on the younger’s face, wanting to describe the attractiveness radiating from her. 

“You know, it’s hard to drink something when you’re being stared at.”

Yongsun abruptly turns away from Byulyi, feeling embarrassed. Instead she directs her gaze to the wooden table between them as she speaks up in a low, hushed voice. “Sorry.”

“Nah, it’s alright.” Byulyi assures, “But if we were dating for real, you would be used to my beauty by now. Look at me today as much as you want, so that you can refrain yourself around your parents.”

Yongsun’s mouth opens with a tiny gasp in disbelief. “I wasn’t… you- No?” She stumbles over her words like a blushing school girl with a crush. 

Byulyi has a smug look on her face as she sips her milkshake. “I think we need some ground rules.” 

Yongsun doesn’t say it out loud even though she wholeheartedly agrees. She simply stares at Byulyi as if to ask her to continue with her words. 

“I mean, we don’t really know each other that much.” Byulyi explains herself, “How will we convincingly act like a couple?” 

Yongsun pouts, displeased with the sudden problem they are facing. “I told my mom that we’re kind of new but still… we need to be comfortable with closeness to a certain degree.”

“Like… kissing?”

Yongsun blinks, her mind screaming at herself. Her last kiss was a little over a year ago, and she feels the right to feel rusty. “N-Now?” 

Byulyi raises her eyebrows, “Huh? What are you talking about? I mean, if we are going to spend a weekend with your parents for the wedding like you said, it’s happening at some point.” She pauses and studies the panic on Yongsun’s face. “But let’s just not do this for the first time at a cheap café, okay?”

Yongsun glances at the attractive girl who’s grinning at her, some feeling crawling from the depths of her stomach.

_ Oh no. _

 

**6 Days, 22 Hours**

“You have a nice apartment here.” Byulyi observes as soon as she gets inside the living room.

The afternoon sun peaks through the curtains, illuminating the room prettily. Byulyi sits down on the sofa and gestures Yongsun to come closer.

“Come on, I don’t bite.” 

Yongsun cuts her off before she continues with something stupid like ‘Unless I’m asked to.’

“So, do you want me to light some candles or something? Y’know, to set the mood.”

Byulyi giggles as if the thought is funny. “Do as you wish, I’m comfortable if you are.” She goes on when Yongsun doesn’t move. “You seem nervous.”

Yongsun turns away from Byulyi, feeling vulnerable all of a sudden. “Because I am.”

She looks over at Byulyi again when she feels warmth inside her hand, Byulyi squeezes it like she’s trying to transfer some courage through the touch. “It’s okay, it’s normal. You told me it’s been a while.” The orange haired grins loopily, “But it’s just me, okay?”

A big part of Yongsun’s nervousness comes because it’s Byulyi, yet she doesn’t voice her doubts about their agreement. 

“I know.” She mutters, “Let’s just talk a bit first. How was your day?”

“Ah, alright.” Byulyi adjusts to the flow of their conversation, “There was a misunderstanding about the reports, so I had to- Oh my God!”

Yongsun sharply turns to the direction where Byulyi is staring to because of the sudden loud voice the other woman had made. Jjing Jjing steps inside through the half open door of Yongsun’s room and looks around. She decides that nothing is out of ordinary, lying down on the floor suddenly.

“So cute!” Byulyi exclaims, standing up with excitement like a little kid to pet Jjing, “Why didn’t you tell me you had a dog?”

Yongsun’s jaw slacks in response because of the sight before her. Byulyi Is caressing Jjing’s fur while giggling, all her cool girl demeanor out of the window.

“I didn’t think it was important.” Yongsun confesses, waiting for some kind of clarification from Byulyi. 

“Are you kidding?” The younger of the two exclaims, “I adore dogs! I have two corgis, you should meet them sometime.” She fishes her phone out of her back pocket and taps the screen a few times and then finally turns the screen towards Yongsun. “Look!”

Byulyi is giving the camera a thousand-watt smile as she hugs two adorable corgis, she’s in casual clothes yet she manages to look good. Yongsun feels strangely jealous of the person who took the picture.  She turns her eyes towards the orange haired and sees the pure joy on her face, simply because she is talking about something she loves. 

“This is Daebakie and this- Wow.”

Like a well-rehearsed reflex Yongsun leans forward towards the girl who’s crouched down in front of the couch and presses their lips together. Soft lips dance on each other for a short moment until Yongsun pulls herself back, immediately embarrassed of her abrupt act. When she opens her eyes Byulyi is already looking at her with a soft gaze, orbs containing some emotion Yongsun can’t quite  grasp. Yet her face is gentle, eyebrows slightly quirked up with a half questioning half in disbelief matter. 

“This… what was this for?”

Yongsun feels as she had just consumed a bottle of whiskey, her face burning and head up in the sky. She licks her lips and averts her gaze from Byulyi’s calculating eyes, very much aware of the fact that the younger is watching her every single move trying to make something out of even her smallest actions. 

“The sooner the better, right?” Yongsun answers weakly, “Isn’t that what we’re here for?”

Byulyi blinks like she just remembered the purpose of her visit, “Right.” She repeats, “That’s what we’re here for.”

Yongsun leans back on the couch, trying to be away from Byulyi as possible. Her mind’s a mess of possibilities and all she wants to do is run away from them. 

Byulyi breaks the silence after a few eternities later. “I have an idea.” She starts timidly, “It’s a game to help us be more comfortable around each other. It’s like Never Have I Ever but instead of taking shots we…”

“…Kiss?” Yongsun guesses, “It sounds like an excuse just to kiss me.”

Byulyi’s face gets caught up in a shy grin. “Maybe it is.”

So they play.

 

**4 Days, 8 Hours**

Kim Yongsun is someone who sets up goals well. She’s incredibly good at planning, but she doesn’t stop at that, she also tries hard to reach her dreams. Yet that doesn’t prevent certain unattended factors to waltz into her life and make her question her every plan in existence.  

“Yes, Wheein, she’s really nice.” Yongsun assures her friend on the phone for the millionth time. “But that doesn’t mean that I will date her.”

“But why?” The short haired whines, “You admit that she’s funny, caring, cute, beautiful. Why can’t you give it a chance?”

Yongsun sighs, irritated. “Have you forgotten why I was staying single in the first place?” She argues “I am busy with work. I can’t throw away everything I worked so hard for. And I don’t even know her that much, she’s no one, Wheein.”

Wheein speaks after a few moments. “You make it sound like you’re a CEO.”

That makes Yongsun let out a groan of frustration. “Why is everyone forcing me to get into a romantic relationship?” She gets up and starts touring inside her office once again.  “I am not going to get into one unless my worries about my job disappear, not with Byul or someone else because they’re all obstacles between me and my work.”

“This is a problem, unnie.” Wheein tries to once again reason with her, “You weren’t like this before, how come you are so job oriented now? I don’t understand.” She goes on when Yongsun doesn’t reply. “I’m not saying that you shouldn’t put your job before your personal relationships, you know. It’s your life. But when all of this passes I just don’t want you to be alone, okay? There was no need to fight with me.”

“Whe-”

“Let’s talk later unnie, okay?” The younger says with a defeated tone, “Bye.”

There’s nothing left but to sigh when she hears the beeping sounds from the phone. She turns on her heels and opens the door to get some coffee maybe some fresh air along the way. 

However, the universe seems to be keen on not letting her breathe.

There Moon Byulyi stands in a black suit and a white shirt. They catch each other’s eyes for a heartbeat, and that’s when Yongsun comes to her senses. 

“How long have you been there?” She asks, voice a mixture of guilt and curiosity. 

Byulyi lowers her head to the ground and closes her eyes for a split second, like she’s trying to compose her facial expressions. “Ah, I just got here now.”

When she looks up again Yongsun can see the destruction her words caused clearly. Even though Byulyi is trying to conceal her hurt, Yongsun is able to see through her. The orange-haired’s mouth is slightly curled downwards, eyebrows a bit crossed. But the worst part is to witness thousands of emotions parading through her eyes, yet Yongsun can’t say the words to soothe her pain.

“That’s good then.” She says between her gritted teeth, “You didn’t wait much.”

The end of her sentence hangs in the air like a question that doesn’t have an answer. Byulyi’s next words are well-carved, almost hand-picked.

“Yeah,” A well-timed chuckle. “I was going to ask you to go to lunch but I just remembered.” A hand lifts to give her own head a slight slap. “I had some reports to write, and it’s due this evening.”

Yongsun glances to the corridor of the office and comes across with two liars from the reflection. “Is that so?” Yongsun asks, “Then I can’t hold you back.”

“Work is work.” Byulyi states, mouth curling up with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Work is work.” Yongsun repeats. 

Maybe she starts to wish that it wasn’t.

 

**2 Days, 10 Hours**

Last few days go agonizingly slow as she goes between wondering whether she should call her mother and tell her she broke up with her beloved girlfriend, or if she should apologize to Byulyi. 

Of course, she ends up doing nothing but to drown in her own pool of self-pity. Most of the times that she’s been sad, it was because of third parties. Ex-girlfriends, unsuccessful job applications, a death of a relative… But this time, as it is entirely her own fault, the pain from it multiplies within her heart. As naïve as a child who broke her favorite toy car, she wishes she had known better. 

She took the Friday off to organize her things for her two days trip to her sister’s wedding. Yet, she’s met with enormous reluctance. How can she pack her bag when she doesn’t even know if Byulyi’s really coming with her?

Feet dangling off from the left side of the couch -the couch where she first kissed Byulyi- she takes her phone in her hand once again. And then, right there on the screen-

**Moon Byulyi**

At what time you will pick me up?

Yongsun squeals, making Jjing Jjing who was sleeping a moment ago squirm on her bed. Yongsun lets a relieved breath out for the first time in a few days and giggles to herself. She still has one more chance to make things right.

**Kim Yongsun**

I was thinking 7 PM? 

15 minutes later -no Yongsun hasn’t been counting- her phone beeps.

**Moon Byulyi**

K.

Yongsun grimaces in response to the short reply. Byulyi is clearly upset enough to not even use any emojis. Helpless, Yongsun taps some numbers on her phone and presses the green button.

“Huh, so now you’re talking to me?” Wheein’s voice that she hears through the speakers is bitter.

“Wheein.” She starts, “I’m so stupid.”

Her friend lets her guard down immediately, both in the need of helping Yongsun and wanting to hear some embarrassing story. She listens to all Yongsun has to say. 

“Oof.” Wheein deadpans at the end of Yongsun’s speech. There’s a moment of tranquility until-

“What do you mean ‘oof’?” Yongsun cries out, “Tell me what I should do!”

“Calm down, calm down.” Wheein tries with irritation, “You should apologize. Byul unnie’s a simple person.”

Yongsun gives it a thought for a second, face heating up at all the cheesy things she thinks of to say. “How though?” 

She can hear the shit-eating grin on Wheein’s voice. “Unnie, was that affection I heard in your voice?” She giggles, “Or was that love?”

“I, uhm, no?” 

Yongsun’s delayed reply makes Wheein gasp. “No way! I was right, wasn’t I?” Her voice gets loud as she gets more and more excited. “Hyejin, get the camera. Yongsun unnie is in love!”

 

**2 Days, 2 Hours**

The fatal problem with road trips is that no car is spacious enough to keep two people from interacting. The whole ride is filled with awkwardness from the start, with Yongsun trying to find things to say and Byulyi trying to find ways to dodge Yongsun’s questions. 

“So… do you want to put on some music?” Yongsun asks timidly, not taking her eyes off the road.

Byulyi hums, taking her phone out and tapping the screen. Not long later an upbeat melody starts flowing through the speakers, making both women a little less uncomfortable. 

“I like this song too, Byulyi, you have good taste in music.” Yongsun comments, hoping to lessen the tenseness in the air.

“Thanks.” 

Yongsun sighs, should she apologize right away? The problem is that she doesn’t know how to. Yongsun’s not someone who can express her feeling well.

“Uh, Byul-ah,” She starts, feeling unsure of herself. “You have to k-”

“So, how should I act like around your parents?” Byulyi doesn’t let her finish her sentence. “Am I a cute daughter-in-law? Cool? Sweet? Which one would they like?”

Yongsun feels incapable of answering, surprised by the sudden olive-branch. She takes it with caution, muttering softly. “Just be yourself.” She glances at Byulyi’s expression from the rear-view mirror. The younger’s face is stiff as if she’s waiting to find something wrong with Yongsun’s next words. “Everyone will love you.”

“Will they?” Byulyi’s tone is almost demanding, eyebrows lifting up in a questioning matter. “What about you then? What do you think of me?”

Yongsun stays silent for a while, both watching the darkening road ahead. She feels Byulyi’s eyes on herself and grips the wheel a bit tighter. She doesn’t withdraw from the chess game of emotions they play, instead she gathers her courage up and allows a pawn to be a martyr in order to build something greater.

“I think you’re an amazing person.” Yongsun blurts out, “I appreciate you doing this for me.”

“Oh?” Byulyi has a mocking tone. “Not an obstacle at all then? I thought I was no one.” Now that the presence of the damn elephant is obviously evident, Yongsun takes a deep breath. She opens her mouth to answer but Byulyi doesn’t let her, cutting her off before she even starts to speak. “I never asked you to look me in the romantic way. I just want to know what made you think that I would be so harmful to your so-called office life.”

Yongsun lets out a groan even though she knows that it’s disrespectful towards Byulyi. “I worked so hard for this job.” She states, “It’s not something personal, I can’t let anything distract me.”

“So?” Byulyi inquires heatedly, “At which part you are obligated to think those horrible things about me?”

Yongsun hardly stops herself from hitting the brakes and turning to Byulyi. “The part where I start to see you in a romantic way!” She blurts out without evaluating the consequences of her words.

Byulyi’s silent for a while, the music from the car radio mixing with their heavy breathing. Yongsun’s traitor of a heart speeds up, waiting for some kind of a miracle.

“…Really?” Byulyi mutters in the smallest voice, her eyes looking anywhere but Yongsun’s figure. 

The woman in question gulps, knowing that she’s leading to a path where there is no going back. “Yeah.” She confirms, defeated.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Yongsun hopes her heated face isn’t too obvious. “It’s just, uhm,” She clumsily explains, “I thought if I ignore it long enough it will go away.”

“So, you didn’t think of seeing me again once all this is over?” Byulyi states, her tone is questioning.

Yongsun hums.

“Don’t you think that I should get a say in this, Yongsun-sshi?” Byulyi’s voice sounds tired and irritated yet she manages to deliver her words in such manner that Yongsun wants to beg for forgiveness all of a sudden.

“I’m…” Yongsun pauses, “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know the right answer.”

She hears Byulyi sigh loudly. “Okay then. Let’s just not see each other again after this.”

//

Her parents absolutely love Byulyi -Yongsun can’t really blame them-, and all goes smoothly. The first thing her mother does is to cry out when she spots the supposed couple from distance is, “Yongsun! Is this your girlfriend?” Her face turns to Byulyi with a worried expression, “You’re so skinny!” 

Byulyi, baffled by the fact that the those are the first words she hears from Yongsun’s mother, opens her mouth to say something, only to get cut off by her dad. 

“Ah, is our daughter a burden?” He tries to joke, “Has she been treating you well?”

Yongsun is afraid that she will tell the truth until Byulyi chuckles briefly, lowering her head a little. “She’s great, ma’am. I really… appreciate her being in my life.”

Their audience swoon after her open declaration, satisfied smiles appear on both their faces. Her mother nudges her shoulder lightly and winks at her, making Yongsun flush with embarrassment. What they miss is the tense way Byulyi’s body is positioned, the way the playful smile on her face doesn’t quite reach her orbs. If Yongsun was just another person to impress to Byulyi, she would be fooled too. But no, she is one of the actresses, she remembers. She should play her part as well.

She minimizes the gap between their fingers, gripping Byulyi’s hand tightly. She turns to look at her in a way she hopes is lovingly and speaks, “Byulyi’s been taking such good care of me, dad. I’m glad I found someone like her.”

A millisecond passes as Yongsun realizes that she hasn’t been lying at all. Byulyi whose hand is inside hers, Byulyi who is mad at her for running away from a possible relationship, Byulyi whom her parents loved even by the mention of her idea… Before she showed herself the truth, all those personas seemed distant in her head. They were the different pieces of a broken picture, yet they didn’t fit quite in the way Yongsun hoped. But this time, she looks into Byulyi’s eyes and she can swear that sees beauty. Her epiphany indicates Byulyi is all that, and so much more. Now that Yongsun is able to view the bigger picture, she regards her with a certain curiosity within her eyes. 

“Yongsun?” Byulyi asks, her mouth shaping a nervous smile, “You zoned out.”

What she admires the most about the orange-haired is her ability to act gently in every situation. Yongsun wonders how it was so easy to miss all along.

“Oh?” Yongsun finally responds, “I’m sorry.” 

She hears her parents giggle and muttering some words about being young and in love, but her mind is somewhere else. She turns to her parents and asks, “Can you show us our room? I’m kind of tired from the drive.” 

When the door closes after them –“We’ll be down for dinner, mom, thanks!”- Byulyi drops her façade a little, yet Yongsun senses she’s still a bit guarded.

They have a beautiful room, with a mountain view and if Yongsun wasn’t too preoccupied she would stop and take her time admiring the green beauty of the nature. She directs her gaze inside the room to examine the state of the building. Obviously, they have one king sized bed, which looks like it’s trying to seduce Yongsun with its fluffy pillows. Worry surfaces from the back of her mind and she turns to Byulyi who’s playing with her phone as if to ask.

She must have felt her eyes on her because after a few slow seconds she locks her phone again and lifts her head to face Yongsun. 

“There’s only one bed.” 

Byulyi lifts her eyebrows. “And?”

“I thought maybe you would not want…”

Byulyi seems exasperated. “It’s fine by me. I didn’t expect it to be otherwise.”

Yongsun can only nod in return, her hopes of making conversation dying down in the end. Byulyi, on the other hand, doesn’t look as helpless as she opens her mouth again to say something.

“Your parents seem really accepting.” The orange haired comments, “I wish I had that too.”

Yongsun knows that not everyone is as lucky as herself so she turns to Byulyi with a sympathetic look. “Do you still keep in touch with them?” 

“Sometimes… But our relationship isn’t as good as before.” Byulyi has a grim look on her face. “Still, it’s okay though.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Yongsun doesn’t want to insist on making Byulyi talk but she also isn’t sure of what to say.

The other woman shakes her hand and stands up from the chair she’s been sitting on, making her way towards to the door. “Aren’t we supposed to go downstairs for dinner? Come on.”

The dinner goes well except for the few times where Yongsun’s sister asks them some intimate questions. -“They met through a friend?” Yonghee giggles and points to his husband-to-be, “We met through a friend too! Say, Byulyi-sshi, what are your future plans?”- And soon enough, they’re in their room again. Being alone with Byulyi is slightly awkward now, both carry themselves with an uncertainty.

“Which side of the bed you want?” Yongsun asks, figuring she should be the one who’s organizing things.

“Uh, both are fine.” Byulyi answers, “I guess I’ll take the left since the door is on the right. My sleep is really light.”

They get ready for bed in a few minutes, Byulyi washes up as Yongsun dresses and vice versa. 

“Will you be fine?” Yongsun asks once again to Byulyi when they get in the bed, “I mean, will you be able to sleep?”

She only hears a light chuckle from Byulyi’s side. “You worry too much. Goodnight, you.”

**The Day**

Saturday passes in a haze with overwhelming errands that needs to be run, so finally it’s the wedding day. A wave of relatives and family friends keep Yongsun busy, at least enough to prevent her from thinking about Byulyi. Of course, it isn’t that easy while the younger girl is right there with her, but they have an excuse to run away from a much-needed talk. 

“This is Byulyi,” She introduces once again, “My girlfriend.”

One of her cousins smile politely. “You guys make a cute couple.”

Yongsun chuckles nervously as she puts an arm around Byulyi’s shoulder. “Thank you. How is your husband, unnie?” As their conversation settles into small talk, Yongsun feels Byulyi get bored as they start to drift off to family related topics. Taking it as their cue to leave, Yongsun bids goodbye to her cousin as she shifts her attention to Byulyi.

“Want to dance?”

Byulyi looks surprised for a split second, but then she collects herself as she takes the hand Yongsun had offered. They make their way to the dance floor where the guests sway their bodies to the rhythm of an old love song.

Byulyi’s hands settle on her waist as she brings their bodies closer, they are only centimeters apart now. “You know, I didn’t think that you would ask me to dance.” she confesses.

“We’re dating, remember?” Yongsun teases, she’s glad that they have this opportunity to talk properly, “What kind of a girlfriend I would be if I didn’t dance with you?”

“A fake one, I suppose.” Byulyi responds, “But that’s impossible.”

“You know,” Yongsun says with a more serious tone, “I’m not good at apologies and such.” She pauses to collect her thoughts. “So I don’t know how to put it in words, but… when you were mad at me I felt like my heart was breaking.”

“I know.” Byulyi murmurs, “Me too.” 

“Where does this leave us?”

“You know what? We’re exceptionally bad at this thing.”

Byulyi gently pulls her hand along with her, stopping their dance and leading her to the balcony. It seems like Byulyi had chosen a good spot to talk, they have some privacy here since one else but them is out at the suffocating summer heat.

“I have something to tell you.” Byulyi doesn’t beat around the bush. “Do you want to hear it?”

Yongsun knows exactly where this is going, but she’s tired of running so she takes a deep breath and nods. 

“I’m interested in you.” Byulyi deadpans, her eyes are fixed on a spot away from Yongsun in contrast of her confident words, “I understand that you want to focus on your career and I respect that, but still… I have to ask. Is there any chance for you and me?” 

For the first time in a long time Yongsun lets go of her worries. She nods, a coy smile growing on her face. “Yeah,” She chimes, “I think there is.” She looks for words to explain herself, “The reason I didn’t want to be in a relationship is that I was scared. But then again, I realized I don’t have to be scared if I’m with you.”

Byulyi looks at her with endearing eyes and quickly checks if someone’s around. She brings their lips together, and Yongsun can feel that a new part of her life beginning.


End file.
